Clutch mechanism.



PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

H. c. LYLE. CLUTCH MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29.1906.

'2 SHEETS-SEEET 2.

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PATENT orro HENRY CLAUDE LYLE, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OFONE- HALF TO SAMUEL V. WEEKS, OF OHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.-

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed October 29, 1906. Serial No. 341,061.

operated machine, and the object is to provide a novel and comparativelysimple structure, whereby such members can begradually clutched andunclutched so that theymay be entirely free to relatively move, may

4 be effectively held against relative move ment, and the driven membercan be made to operate at varying rates of speed, said mechanismmoreover eliminating all shocks and jars to the parts during theclutching and unclutching action, and avoiding lateral strains'upon themembers.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through thesame. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3+3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. view of one of thevalve stem bushings.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the particular embodiment disclosed, a

shaft 6 is employed, on which is loosely mounted a sleeve 7 carrying acasing provided with a side wall 8, and an annular wall 9, said casinghaving an open side. The annular wall 9 of the casing is rovided with aninternal toothed gear trac or guide 10.

A pulley 11 or other device is secured to the sleeve 7. It will thus beevident that the shaft and pulley are relatively rotatable, and so faras the invention is concerned, either may be the driving member, inwhich case, the other of course is the driven member.

Suitably fixed to the shaft 6 and locatedwithin the casing, is a support12 having a side wall 13 that closes the open side of the casing. Thissupport is hollow, thereby Fig. 5 is a'detail forming a chamber orreservoir 14 for fluid. Cylinders 15 are formed in the support, and arepreferably disposed diametrically opposite to each other. -The cylinderscommunicate at their inner ends with conduits 16, also formed in thesupport and communicating with outstanding nipples 17 and 18, said Oneof nipples opening into the reservoir. the nipples of each set isprovided with an inwardly opening valve 19, while the other nipple ofeach set has an outwardly opening va ve 20. Thus each conduit isprovided with a valved inlet and a valved discharge, and both arelocated on the said side of the piston, with which the associatedconduit communicates. Access to the nipples and valves is securedthrough openings 21 formed in the annular wall of the support, andnormally closed by suitable plugs 22. v

A rotatable controlling valve 23 is arranged in each conduit between itsinlet and outlet, and these controlling valves have stems 24 thatproject from the casing longitudinally of and on opposite sides of theshaft 6, said stems passing through suitable stuff-- ing boxes 25. Theexposed ends of the stems carry bushings 26 that are provided withcurved slots 27. These bushings are received in the'eyes 28 of a sleeve29 that is slidable lon itudinally of the shaft 6, and is provided withan annular groove 30, engaged by a suitable shifting lever 31. Setscrews 32, threaded through the outer portions of the eyes 28, havetheirinner ends slidably engaged in the curved slots 27.

On opposite sides of the outer ends of the cylinders 15 of the supportare outstanding cars 33, and journaled in said ears are sets of spacedear wheels 34 that mesh with the gear trac r or guide 10. The gearwheels of eaelfset are connected by a crank 35. Pistons 36 are mountedto reciprocate in the cylinders .15, said pistons projecting from theouter ends of the cylinders and having hooks 37 at their outer ends,which hooks thus form transverse slots 38 that receive the cranks 3 7.

In practice, the reservoir 14 is supplied With a'suitable fluid,preferably a comparatively heavy oil. If new the controlling valves 23are turnedso that the conduits 16 between .the inlets and outlets arefully 0 en, and power is applied either to the sha t 01' into saidreservoir.

. the pulley, it will be evident that these members can relativelyrotate, for the gearwheels 34 will be revolved by their enga ementwiththe gear track, the pistons 36,Wil be reciprocated, and the fluid willbe drawn from the reservoir through the inlet nipples .17, and

discharged through the outlet mpples 18 back If, however, thecontrolling lever 31 is shifted, the sleeve'29 will be movedlongitudinally'of the shaft. This will cause the screws 32 to operate inthe slots 27 of the bushings 26. As. aresult, the stems 24 andconsequently the valves 23 will be turned, reducing the cross sectionalarea of the conduits 16 between the inlets'and' outlets, Resistance willthereby be ofl'ered to "the movements of the pistons 36, and through thesame to-the rotation of the gear wheels,

and'this resistance can be gradually increased joutlet nipples throughthe conduits is'en- ".tirely cut oii. In this condition the pistons.until communication between the inlet and xgcannot reciprocate andtherefore the gear wheels will be held'against rotation, and con 5.

sequently it will be evident that the relatively rotatable members willbe held against l their relative movement, and must operate drivingmember. rotate together, or the driving member can together, Thus, itwill be evidentthatby changing the positions of the controlling Valves23, the driven member can be operated. at various speeds with respect tothe The two maybe made to be operated without effecting the movement ofthe driven member. Furthermore, it will beuseen that the clutchingaction may be i made gradual so as to avoid all shocks and jars to theparts. It is also desired to call attention to the equidistantarrangement of the piston and cylinder elements; This is important, forthe reason that when resistance is offered to the movement of thepistens, the pressure will of course be outwardly, and suflicient playis allowed ordinarily in the-bearings of the gear wheels to permit thisJ pressure to be exerted against the casing wall Q 9, but asit is equalin opposite directions,

there is no lateral strain npon the parts.

' From the foregoin construction, operation, and many. advantagesoftheherein described invention willbe' I apparent to those skilled in theart, without g, it is thought that the further description, and it willbe understood that. various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sarificing any of the advanta es of the invention;

Iaving thus fully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is r-- 1. In mechanism of the class thecombination with relatively movable members, one of which is providedwith a track or guide, of a pump, an operating.de-'

described, I

vice for the pump connected thereto and fotatably mountedon the othermember, said device revolving against said track orguide upon-therelative movement of the members,- and means for controlling the'passageof fluid through the and thus resisting the revolution of guide toresist the relativemovement of the members.

2. In mchanisnnof the class described, the combination" with relatively.movable glumdp t e evice against said track or members, one'of which isprovided with a toothed track or guide, of a gear wheel rotatablymounted on the other member, said gear Wheel. meshing'with the teeth ofand re volving against the track or guide, a pump mountedon the memberhaving the gear wheel and having operative connections with said Wheel,and means for controllin the passage of fluid through the pump, and thusafior-din resistance to the rotation of ment of the members.

i 3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving an in-' ternal gear track, of a relatively movable supportlocated within the casin a getr .the wheel to t ereby resist therelative movewheel journaled on the supportan meshing ed to therotatable device, means For admitting fluid to and discharging it fromthe cylinder element, and means forcontrolling the passage of fluidtherethrough.

,5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with relativelyrotatable members, one of which is provided with an annular trackor'guide, of a'device rotatablymounted on the other member and revolvingagainst thetrack or guide, relatively movable piston and cylinderelements mounted on the latter membenoneof the elements being connectedto the rotatable device, means for admitting fluid to and exhausting itfrom the cylinder element, and means for controlling the passage of thefluid .ther'ethrough.

6. Inmechanism of the class described,

passage of matethe combination with relatively movable members, one ofwhich is provided with a.

gear track or guide, of a gear wheel rotatably mounted on the othermember and meshing with the teeth of the track or guide, relativelymovable piston and cylinder elements mounted on ,the latter member, oneof said elements having a crank connection with the gear wheel, meansfor admitting fluid to and exhausting it from the cylinder element, andmeans for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with relativelymovable members, one of which is provided with an annular toothed trackor guide, of a gear -wheel rotatably mounted and revoluble with theother member, said gear wheel meshing with the teeth of the track orguide, relatively reeiprocatory piston and cylinder elements mounted onthe member carrying the gear wheel, one of said elements having a crankconnection with the gear wheel, means for admitting 'llui d to andexhausting it from the cylinder element, and means for controlling thepassage of fluid therethrough. S. In mechanism of the class described,the combination with a casing having an in ternal gear track or guide,of a relatively rotatable support mounted within the casing, a gearwheel journaled on the support and meshing with the gear track, saidgear wheel having a crank, a cylinder clement carried by the support, areciprocating piston operating therein and connected to t 1e crank ofthe gear wheel, means for admitting fluid to and exhausting it from thecylinder, and a'valve for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough.

9. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving a oncular gear track, of a relatively rotatable support havingspaced ears, spaced gear wheels journaled on the ears and meshing withthe track, a crank connecting the gear wheels, a cylinder elementcarried by the support, a piston operating in the cylinder element andhaving a connection with the crank, means for admitting fluid to andexhausting it from the cylinder element, and a manually operated valvefor controlling the passage of fluid therethrough.

10. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casing,having an internal gear wheel, of a relatively rotatable support locatedwithin the casing, a plurality of gear wheels journaled on the supportand meshing with the track, pump mechanism mounted on the support andoperated by the gear wheels, and means for obstructing the flow ofmaterial through the pump mechan ism and thereby imparting resistance tothe rotation of the gear wheels.

11. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving an internal gear track, of a relatively rotatable support locatedwithin the casing, a plurality of gear wheels journaled on thesupport'and meshing with the track, a plurality of sets of plunger andcylinderelements, one element of each set being connected to one of thegear wheels eccentrically of its axis of rotation,

and means for controlling the' supply and discharge of the cylinderelements.

12. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with relativelyrotatable members, of a pum carried by one member and comprising reatively movable piston and cylinder elements, actuating means for thepump associated with the other member, a conduit connected at one end tothe cylinder element and having a valved inlet and discharge, both ofwhich are located at one side of the cylinder element, and a controllingvalve for varying the area of'the conduit, said valve being located inthe conduit between the inlet and discharge.

13. In mechanism of the class described the combination with relativerotatable members, one of which is provided'with a fluid reservoir, of apump carried by said member and comprising relatively reciproca-. torypiston and cylinder elements, actuating means for the pump associatedwith the other member, a conduit connected'at one end to the cylinderelement and having a valved inlet and discharge, both of which aredisposed at one side of said cylinder element and communicating with thereservoir, a rotatable controlling valve located in the conduit betweenthe inlet and discharge, and meansfor rotating the valve while themembers are rotating,

14. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with relativelyrotatable members, of a plurality of pump mechanisms carried by onemember and operated by the other on their relative rotation, a pluralityof rotatable controlling valves for affording resistance to the movementof the fluid acted on by the pump mechanism, said valves having stemsextending longitudinally of and on different sides of the axis ofrotation of the members and having curved slots, and means for rotatingthe controlling valves, said means including a sleeve mounted on one ofthe members and movable longitudinally of its axis of rotation, eyescarried by ditlerent portions of the sleeve and sliding upon the valvestems, projections carried by the eyes and engaging in the slots of saidstems, and means for moving the sleeve.

15. In mechanism of the, class described, the combination with a shaft,of a casing loosely journaled thereon and having aninternal gear track,a support fixed to the shaft within the casing and having a fluidreservoir therein, cylinders carried by the support, a conduitcommunicating with the cylindersand having valved inlet and outlets thatcommunicate with the reservoir, rotatable valves located in the conduitand having exposed stems disposed longitudinally of the shafts androvided with curved slots, a sleeve slidab e on the shaft and havingsockets that receive the stems, pins carried by the sleeve and engagingin the slots, sets of spaced gear Wheels journaled in the 'sup ert andmeshing with the internal gear tree of the casing, a crank connectingthe gear Wheels on each set, and pistons ofierating in 5 the cylindersand having hdoks the crank. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as at engage my own, I haveheretdaflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY CLAUDE LYLE.

Witnesses: I

MAX MILLIGAN, D. H. RAINS.

